FRESNO COUNTY – Gov. Gavin Newsom has cut yards of yard red tape through the certification of the Cornucopia Hybrid Project (CHP), which aims to power over 300,000 Fresno homes.
Utilizing powers extended by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Newsom certified the project in Fresno County. Announced by the Governor’s office on March 19, the certification places a 270 day window for courts to challenge any legal issues surrounding the project, saving potential years of delays while still allowing legal review.
“In California, we’re in the ‘how’ business – we’re moving fast to achieve our world-leading clean energy goals,” Newsom said in a press release. “By fast-tracking critical projects like this one in Fresno, we’re creating good-paying jobs, cutting pollution, and building a cleaner, more reliable energy grid to serve Californians for generations.”
The CHP aims to deliver 300 megawatts (MW) of both renewable solar energy and storage. This combination would allow provision of carbon-free electricity to the grid during peak demand, while storing enough energy to provide during nighttime hours when generation is limited.
This project will act as a significant step toward the state’s energy goals of using 90% clean energy by 2035, and 100% by 2045, according to the announcement.
Newsom also hopes for the project to boost the economy by generating essential tax revenues for local schools, infrastructure and emergency services, in addition to creating more long-term construction jobs.
The CHP is another use of the unprecedented $180 billion infrastructure package from 2023, composed of state, local and federal infrastructure funds.
Already, the state has put $109 billion to work and generated 200,000 jobs, with hopes of generating another 200,000 with the rest of the funds, according to the announcement.
